Model for Measuring Urban Development with a Socioeconomic Focus in Lima, Medellin and San Salvador

The measurement of urban development in Latin American cities has historically relied on one-dimensional models focused on GDP or density, which are insufficient to guide policies in heterogeneous and unequal contexts. This study designs and applies an empirical and comparative model with a socioeconomic approach to evaluate urban development in Lima, Medellín, and San Salvador in 2020–2024. Seventeen indicators that are comparable, objective, and publicly available in the three cities are integrated and normalized using min–max, and composite indices are estimated using three methods: equal weighting, CRITIC, and Entropy. It was found that Lima consistently shows the greatest relative progress (≈6–7%); Medellín consolidates high levels with moderate increases (≈2–4%); and San Salvador records the highest proportional growth under the Entropy method (≈11%). These findings are consistent with citizen perceptions obtained from a survey of 1170 participants (April–August 2025), according to which, on average, 60% recognize the existence of urban growth in the three cities. The proposed model is reproducible and transparent, contributing significantly to year-on-year monitoring and the prioritization of interventions by local and national governments by enabling short- and medium-term readings, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).